FICTION

Goodnight, You

illus. by Geneviève Côté. 32p. (Piggy and Bunny). Kids Can. Sept. 2014. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9781771380508.
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PreS-Gr 1—Two friends, a rabbit and a pig, appear in their fourth picture book adventure by the Canadian author/illustrator. As in the earlier titles, this one addresses preschool emotions, in this case, fear. As they prepare for their first campout, Rabbit immediately becomes frightened by Pig's shadow because it looks like a monster. Pig makes light of Rabbit's fears, and eventually Pig's "bravery" gives Rabbit courage to turn out the lantern. In a surprising twist, it turns out that Pig is afraid of the dark. Together, with each other's support, the friends are able to face their individual fears. The text is age appropriate, simple, and direct, showing children that they aren't alone when they are fearful and that there are ways to overcome fears with support from friends. The book's square format is appealing, and the multimedia illustrations—in a simple, soft palette—are charming. The art has a childlike quality and should appeal to the target audience. To differentiate between the two speakers, Côté uses slightly different fonts, but the difference is subtle and not likely to be obvious to children.—Maralita L. Freeny, District of Columbia Public Library
In this fourth relatable story (following Starring Me and You), the friends prepare for their overnight camping experience with a lively exchange about their fears: at Pig's inadvertent shadow Rabbit shrieks, "I thought a MONSTER was coming to get me!"; Pig confesses, "I'm a wee bit scared of the dark." Textured mixed-media illustrations loosely outlined in black picture the sweet camaraderie.

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